The Generation of Swine

Throughout the book, Thompson frequently argues that the generation that has come of age under the Reagan Administration is fundamentally corrupted, and he refers to them as a "Generation of Swine". Two of the primary forces that Thompson believes have corrupted American youth are acid rain and AIDS, both of which Thompson at least partially blames on Reagan. Thompson believes that acid rain and AIDS have terrified young people of both sex and nature, which Thompson sees as great forces for good. With young people avoiding sex and nature, there is nothing left for them but greed and self-advancement. However, even that is undermined by new and strict policies appearing in schools that force drug tests on students and expel those who fail. According to Thompson, these policies could easily create a large number of people who will be totally excluded from the system. These...